By Frank Malley, PA Chief Sports Writer, Sydney

Barry Cowan caps the greatest year of his tennis life early on Tuesday morning when he makes his Olympic debut.

And he still can't quite believe it.

The Lancashire lad was handed the experience of a lifetime at the weekend when Nicolas Lapentii, ironically the man who helped humiliate Britain in the Davis Cup in July, pulled out of the men's singles first round.

Cowan, originally here to compete in the doubles with Kyle Spencer, was chosen to fill the vacant slot against Canada's Daniel Nestor.

But when Britain's team manager Roger Taylor informed him of his upgraded status at the weekend Cowan thought it was a joke.

"Roger Taylor came up to me and said 'congratulations, you're in the singles,"' said Cowan. "I didn't quite believe it and I'm still struggling.

"I was waiting for him to break into a smile and tell me it was all a wind-up. I came out here just looking forward to the doubles, so to start in the singles is brilliant."

It completes a year in which Cowan realised one of his big ambitions by reaching the first round of the US Open after battling through the qualifying tournament.

He was beaten by Germany's Jens Knippschild in a close match, but he could fare better tomorrow against Nestor, who is ranked 94 places below him.

Britain's number one Tim Henman, meanwhile, begins his challenge on Wednesday against a tricky opponent in Slovakia's Karol Kucera.

Greg Rusedski also faces tough opposition on Wednesday in the shape of Frenchman Arnaud Clement, the man who ended Andre Agassi's reign at the US Open.